Our metabolism is the process by which we break down the food we eat into useable energy. The best digestive enzymes help us increase our metabolism and are a great way to improve many other bodily functions.
Enzymes are classified as proteins, which are multiple long chains of amino acids that convert certain protein compounds into other compounds to be used by the body.
Our body naturally produces these chains in the vital organs, such as the liver, pancreas, the large and small intestines, and stomach. They are the primary actors when it comes to digesting food.
The food that we see on our plate goes through many changes once it enters the body, and these amnio acid chains are what’s responsible to initiating these changes into something the body can actually use for fuel or nutrition.
The difference between eating for pleasure and eating for pleasure and health is rooted in the body’s ability to efficiently metabolize the actual contents of the food.
With no consideration for how the food is going to be broken down by the body, and only eating for immediate satisfaction or taste, is a root cause for many health problems and long-term chronic diseases.
Maximizing these important protein chains to break down foods into smaller building blocks should be of primary concern, and establishes a solid link between our diet and our overall health condition.
Our body naturally produces these proteins when we anticipate eating, smell and taste food, and when digestion begins.
Some symptoms that the body’s digestion proteins are not effectively breaking down foods are:
Loose stool
Frequent flatulence
Stomach discomfort
Bloating
Lactose intolerance
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (a long-term disorder affecting the large intestine)
Best digestive enzymes supplement
While our body naturally produces amino acid chains, there are many supplements on the market that can be taken to increase the overall volume in our bodies and which aid in improving overall digestion.
Here are some of the most important “digestzymes” our bodies use daily, and are important to locate on any supplement’s packaging:
Sucrase
Our small intestine secretes these amnio acid chains from the villi, or the tiny hair-like structures that line the small intestine that absorb nutrients into the bloodstream.
Sucrase breaks down sucrose – simple absorbable sugars, commonly found in white powdered sugars – into fructose or glucose, which can then be used by the body as energy.
Proteases
These digestzymes are produced in the pancreas and the stomach, and are responsible for breaking down proteins into smaller amino acids.
There are several types of proteases, all which work to break down proteins into smaller and smaller amino acid chains, to either be absorbed in the small intestine or used for building other amino acid chains.
Amylase
Our salivary glands and the pancreas secrete these amino acid chains in order to break down carbohydrates and starches into sugars.
If there are high levels of amylase in the bloodstream the pancreas may be inflamed, or there may be an injured duct in the pancreas, or worse, experiencing the early stages of cancer.
Low levels of amylase can show that there is significant inflammation to the pancreas, or there may be problems with liver functioning.
Maltase
During digestion, amylase will partially convert starches into maltose. Then, to complete the process, the maltase amino acid chain will convert the maltose into glucose.
Glucose is a simple sugar that can be used by the body for energy, or it will get stored in the liver as glycogen to be used later.
Lactase
Most dairy products contain lactose, which when ingested is converted by the digestzyme lactase into the simple sugars galactose and glucose.
Lactase is produced in the intestinal tract, but a shortage of lactase will cause the consumed lactose to be fermented and which causes gas and an upset stomach.
Best digestive enzymes for gluten and dairy intolerance
A common deficiency of one of these important digestzymes is with lactase.
Many people will feel discomfort when eating certain dairy products, such as pasteurized and raw milk. It can cause severe abdominal pain, bloating, gas, and diarrhea.
There are several types of lactose intolerance. One is called Congenital Lactase Deficiency, and is a rare inherited form where a newborn is unable to consume breast milk or formula.
Lactase Non-Persistence is much more common and affects about 65% of adults. These people will have some lactase production in their small intestine which allows them to keep some forms of dairy in their diet, although too much causes the above symptoms.
Some people experience a similar reaction as a lactose intolerance when they eat gluten, which is a protein found in wheat products.
Their bodies are having a harder time breaking down the gluten, and can experience bloating and stomach discomfort.
Celiac disease is when the body treats gluten as a foreign and toxic substance, initiating an autoimmune response to destroy the gluten as if it were a virus.
This is the more serious type of gluten intolerance and is more rare. The scientific basis for gluten intolerance and celiac disease are still relatively unknown.
Adding amino acid chains via supplements can help people suffering from both lactose intolerance as well as gluten intolerance, but not with celiac disease, where gluten needs to be avoided altogether.
Best papaya enzyme
Papaya is a fruit that contains a host of beneficial digestzymes and other amino acid chains that can be readily used in digestion, namely papain, amylase, lipase, and protease.
Thus, papaya fruit that has its contents extracted and concentrated into a supplement can significantly help with digestion of fats, proteins and carbohydrates.
The unique component of papaya is papain, which is found in the raw and immature female fruit of the plant, as well as in the roots, leaves and the latex sap.
Papain helps to break down the long chains of amino acids, and the bonding compounds called peptide bonds, into smaller and smaller chains.
The effects of papain on digestion have shown in studies to be significant, especially breaking down protein rich foods such as animal meats.
Usually stomach acids will help break down these meats, and papaya supplements have shown to help people who aren’t producing enough stomach acid to break down meats and many other types of food.
Although are bodies naturally produce amino acid chains to catalyze the process of breaking down foods, the best digestive enzymes, in the forms of supplements, will greatly increase one’s metabolism and ability to absorb vital nutrients, even with a history of weak digestion or chronic deficiencies.
